Flash help thank you!

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Cristian_soria

Senior Member
Do i really need TTL for do portraits ? I'm only need it for portraits not for nothing more
(Portraits outdoors) or with a manual it's enough?

-nikon d3100 - 35mm 1.8g
 
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pedroj

Senior Member
Reflectors can do a good job..If I was buying a flash I would like it to have the ability to control a couple of flashes
 
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FastGlass

Senior Member
Usually TTL is the way to go if you're moving around say at a wedding and you don't have time to meter every shot. If the subject is more stationary ( not moving around and in the same distance from the lights like in a studio environment than manual is the way to go. Nikon's CLS system does a pretty good job and is better than Canon's system but it's not so good as to get consistent shots each and every time especially if the backgrounds change a bit between shots.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
Cristian_soria said:
Do i really need TTL for do portraits ? I'm only need it for portraits not for nothing more
(Portraits outdoors) or with a manual it's enough?
Click to expand...


TTL is not required. A lot of users even prefer manual flash, especially in fixed studio situations. But, they have learned how to do it. You can learn if you don't know now, but it is sort of a big step.

With the TTL flash, its TTL BL mode is point&shoot, including fill flash in bright sun. Easy way in bright sun, just set the camera to P mode, and the TTL BL flash is point and shoot, and the results are usually very good (exposure wise, and fill wise). You can change the compensation to make small changes.

With a manual flash, you have to first set the flash power level to be the right level to give the results you want. TTL meters it, but this does not happen with manual flash. Poor level choices may be too weak to be noticeable, or to have effect, or too strong overexposing the subject, etc. You can readjust the manual power by trial and error, until you get the result you want. Repeating this effort again in every new situation.

I am suggesting it is pretty nice to have the choices.
 
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WayneF

Senior Member
Cristian_soria said:
So you recommend me a flash with TTL as well for portraits outdoors?
Click to expand...

:) I cannot know your skills, and forgive me if I'm wrong, but you seem totally unfamiliar with using flash. So I worry about initial manual flash efforts. TTL automation will greatly help to make it work usefully. The least that it will offer is the choice. That seems good to me.

If you have the Nikon camera now, take a minute to understand the idea.

Set the D3100 menu for built-in flash ... change from TTL to be Manual flash. The menu for manual power level is there with it.

Then go take some flash pictures with manual flash, not just one, but in 3 or 4 situations. You adjust the power level for the manual flash to get the result you want, in each situation.

Then also try the same in TTL flash mode.

If you have done that much, you should have the idea then.
 
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